The Master in popular culture and mythology
By the 21st century and beyond, the Master had become a significant figure in both folklore and popular culture, particularly on Earth. They were variably known as a fictional character, as a real life celebrity, as a documented presence through history, or as a myth or legend, showing up in stories passed down through generations, much like their oldest friend and enemy the Doctor was.
On Earth and among humans
As a real person
Victor Magister
Imprisoned in Shada, the Master was released by the Time Lords, who wished to keep the Third Doctor busy whilst he was exiled on Earth in the late 20th century. (PROSE: Prisoners of the Sun)
The Master was present at the first Auton invasion of Earth, and heard about Channing's attempt to capture the Third Doctor. He contacted journalist James Stevens by phone, whose article he had read in the Daily Chronicle, and told him about the near-kidnapping. He called Stevens again during the Silurian attacks on Wenley Moor, informing Stevens that Edward Masters had been the first to die from the plague sweeping London. Shortly after the Inferno Project incident, the Master once more contacted James Stevens, this time to check up on his work on his UNIT article. He promptly hung up when Stevens mentioned C19 and the Glasshouse. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy)
Under the alias "Emil Keller", the Master captured a psychic parasite and trapped it within the Keller Machine, and spent many months establishing "Keller" and the machine's credentials. (TV: The Mind of Evil)
Posing as a vicar named "Victor Magister" in the village of Devil's End (TV: The Dæmons; PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy) after murdering the old vicar, (PROSE: The Eight Doctors) the Master summoned the ancient Dæmon Azal, but he failed to understand the power and control that was necessary following summoning him. Following Azal's confrontation with Jo Grant's selflessness, Azal destroyed himself through Jo's illogical actions. The Master was captured by UNIT following a failed attempt to escape in the Doctor's car, Bessie. (TV: The Dæmons)
Prior to his trial, the Master was sent to Stangmoor Prison. During his captivity, an army of hypnotised salespeople stormed the facility and attempted to rescue him, but the ploy failed and the Master was sent to another secure holding facility. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Jo were trapped in an extra-universal prison by the Freedom Corporation, so the Brigadier was forced to strike a deal with the Master to save them. But the Master double-crossed him and used time travel technology to regress the Earth backwards in time. However, with help from the Time Lords, the Doctor was freed and was able to stop the Master's plan and restore everything to normal. (PROSE: Freedom)
At his trial, the government used the Master as a scapegoat for all the alien attacks which had recently occurred. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy)
The Master also liked to indulge in being recognized in popular culture, as was prideful that he had been voted megalomaniac's megalomaniac sixty-eleven years running by the readers of Dictator's Digest, and also had hired a man called Rupert (whose brain had been swapped with a Bandril's) to manage the Master's media interests on Earth, expressing that he wished his "charity work" got more recognition, and writing an introduction to Doctor Who Magazine. (PROSE: A letter from the Master)
Harold Saxon
- Main article: Harold Saxon
After escaping the Last Great Time War, the War Master regenerated, with his next incarnation stealing the Doctor's TARDIS and arriving on Earth just after the downfall of British Prime Minister Harriet Jones, which was brought about the Tenth Doctor on 25 December 2006. (TV: The Sound of Drums, The Christmas Invasion) Taking the name "Harold Saxon", the Master fabricated a human life story which he used to infiltrate the British government. Born to a mother and father who did not exist, Saxon went through school, earnt a degree, and attended Cambridge University. In reality, Saxon never went to the university. As Martha Jones recalled, Saxon "[gone] back years", was recognised for the "rugby blue", winning "the athletics thing", writing a novel and going into business. (TV: The Sound of Drums)
Following his appearance, "Saxon", already a government minister launched the Archangel Network of fifteen satellites. Ostensibly a mobile phone network, Archangel was used by the Master to influence the human population of Earth, first to believe the story of "Harold Saxon", then to "Vote Saxon", as well as preventing the Doctor from sensing him as another Time Lord on Earth. However, the Master later conceded that only "99" or "98" percent of people were successfully influenced. (TV: The Sound of Drums, The Christmas Invasion) Among those who were affected was Martha Jones, who had intended to vote for Saxon despite being ignorant of his policies and what he stood for. (TV: The Sound of Drums)
Harold married a woman named Lucy Saxon who, as Rook observed, came from a "not especially bright but essentially harmless" family. As Lucy recalled, Harold was "so very good" to her father. In reality, Lucy ultimately understood who Harold really was, and chose to become his companion and wife. (TV: The Sound of Drums) Using the Doctor's TARDIS, the two visited the end of the universe and gained the allegiance of the Toclafane, the cyborg descendants of humanity. (TV: Last of the Time Lords)
While on Earth, he formed the Disciples of Saxon, a group of humans who worshipped Harold Saxon, while realising that his true name was the Master. Composing the Secret Books of Saxon, he prepared Potions of Life that would be used to resurrect him in the event of his death. (TV: The End of Time)
After March 2007, Saxon was reported by The Daily Telegraph newspaper as leading polls with 64% during a state of "government paralysis". (TV: Love & Monsters) In light of the downfall of Harriet Jones, an election was called to decide the next Prime Minister. Harold Saxon put forward his bid for Prime Minister, beginning the "Vote Saxon" campaign, with posters appearing from London to Cardiff (TV: Smith and Jones, Captain Jack Harkness) while websites were established to cover Harold Saxon. Among the people who backed Saxon were Ann Widdecombe, Sharon Osbourne and the band McFly. (TV: The Sound of Drums)
In the meantime, Saxon served as Minister of Defence. While a member of the Ministry of Defence, the Master helped design "every detail" of the UNIT aircraft carrier Valiant, which he would describe as "some of [his] best work". (TV: The Sound of Drums)
On 24 December 2007, Mr. Saxon gave the order for a Challenger 2 to tank destroy the Racnoss Webstar which was attacking London. (TV: The Runaway Bride) As Jack Harkness recalled, this was when Saxon first came to prominence. (TV: The Sound of Drums)
During his campaign for Prime Minister, the Master visited Mildfields School, using the Archangel Network to brainwash the staff into having false memories of "Saxon" to gain political support. One teacher, James Curtis, was resistant to the Network, so the Master used his laser screwdriver to implant the appropriate memories into his mind, but not before Curtis voiced his concerns to journalist Vivien Rook. (PROSE: Speech Day)
By mid-2008, Saxon was noted as speaking openly about the existence of alien life beyond Earth. Three days prior to the election, the Royal Hope Hospital was temporarily transported to the Moon before being returned to Earth. Amongst the eyewitnesses within the hospital was medical student Oliver Morgenstern, who reported his experiences, including seeing the Earth suspended in space, to the news, which he took as proof that Saxon was right. That night, the Doctor was joined in the TARDIS by Martha Jones, another medical student from the Royal Hope Hospital. (TV: Smith and Jones)
Meanwhile, as part of a trap he had laid for the Doctor, the Master financially backed Richard Lazarus' Lazarus Laboratories, who created a genetic manipulation device in an attempt to reverse the human aging process. To this end, Saxon was responsible for Tish Jones being employed as head of the PR department for Lazarus Laboratories. Francine Jones, mother of Martha and Tish Jones, was approached by a man who, aware of Martha's association with the Doctor, warned Francine that he was dangerous. Soon after, Francine left a message on Martha's answerphone at home, claiming to have information from Harold Saxon which identified the Doctor as a danger. (TV: The Lazarus Experiment, The Sound of Drums)
By election day, the Master had Miss Dexter enlist Francine's help in tracking Martha and the Doctor, tapping and tracing Francine's phone conversations with her daughter as she travelled with the Doctor. (TV: 42) As the vote "[swang]" Saxon's way, future members of his cabinet, as the Master put it, abandoned their political parties and jumped on "the Saxon bandwagon". Vivien Rook, a reporter for the Sunday Mirror, published Harold Saxon, A Modern Churchill, which she described as "the definitive think piece on the great man himself." In actuality, however, Rook found Harold Saxon's life story to be a lie as she researched him. (TV: The Sound of Drums)
Ultimately, the Master won the election as "Harold Saxon". Despite Tish's attempt to stop her, Vivien Rook "barg[ed]" her way in to meet with Lucy Saxon at 10 Downing Street, ostensibly to request a 20 minute interview for a front page profile piece on "Britain's First Lady and "The Power Behind the Throne". With Mrs. Saxon being convinced to accept and Tish leaving the pair alone, Rook voiced her warning that Lucy, the country and the world were in great danger. While presented with Vivien's evidence of "Harold Saxon's" deception, Lucy revealed that she was aware when she called out to her husband, who had been in the room. Admitting that "Harold Saxon" did not exist, the Master identified himself and introduced his friends, the Toclafane, who killed Rook.
Shortly after, "Saxon" made a televised address to the people of Britain in a broadcast on all channels. In it he recalled the alien incidents of recent years, including the destruction of Big Ben, the spaceship over London, the "ghosts and metal men" and "the Christmas star that came to kill". While recalling that the previous governments disclosed nothing to the public, "Saxon" promised that he would not do so as he introduced the Toclafane, who claimed to come in peace, bringing great gifts, technology, wisdom and protection in exchange for only friendship. "Saxon" then announced that the Toclafane would appear openly on the following morning to begin diplomatic relations, claiming that all would take their place in the universe. Meanwhile, he had the Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones and Jack Harkness branded as fugitives.
That night, President of the United States Arthur Coleman Winters landed on British soil in Air Force One to angrily confront "Harold Saxon" other his undisclosed contact with the Toclafane, which violated the United Nations Security Council's first contact policy. With the backing of the United Nations and UNIT, Winters threatened to have Saxon removed from office as he called in the Valiant to serve as the venue for first contact. Little did the President realise, the Master had planned for this, having placed the TARDIS, cannibalised into a paradox machine set to activate at 8:02AM, within the Valiant. In the morning, "Harold Saxon" sat eagerly with his wife on the flight deck as President Winters took control of the preparations of the first contact, which was to be broadcast on television. Though "Saxon" invited Winters to make the address to the four Toclafane, they rejected the President and asked for their "Master". Promptly stepping up, "Saxon" announced that he was "taking control" before having a Toclafane assassinate the President by disintergrating him. While the Doctor and his companions were also present, hidden by a perception filter, the Master saw through them and had the Doctor captured by security personnel before using his laser screwdriver to temporarily kill Jack.
At 8:02, the paradox machine activated, creating a tear in the sky through which six billion Toclafane came down and conquered the Earth, decimating humanity while Martha escaped the Valiant. (TV: The Sound of Drums) As the Toclafane were descendants of humanity from the end of the universe, the paradox machine was required to preserve the existence of the New Time Lord Empire they created with the Master. Ultimately, however, the Doctor and his companions, using the Archangel Network against the Master, allowed for the paradox machine to be destroyed, reversing the Year That Never Was to the moment just after the President's assassination but just before the Toclafane would have arrived. However, as the eye of the storm, the Valiant remained unchanged with all those within remembering the negated year. Shortly after the reversal of time, the Master was fatally shot by Lucy Saxon and refused to regenerate, dying in the Doctor's arms. (TV: Last of the Time Lords) From the perspective of the general public, Harold Saxon had disappeared following the assassination of President Winters, having "went mad". (TV: The End of Time) Other sources, such as AMNN, presumed him to have died as well. (AUDIO: Driving Miss Wells)
Despite his brief tenure, Harold Saxon was recorded as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. However, the Disciples of Saxon observed that no-one knew who Harold Saxon truly was, where he came from, and why he was killed. (TV: The End of Time)
UNIT recorded the Master's activities as Harold Saxon as an incursion, which Petronella Osgood acknowledged to the Twelfth Doctor when the Master returned as Missy. Noting that they had all ex-Prime Ministers on file, Osgood remarked that Missy "wasn't even the worst". (TV: Death in Heaven)
Alice O'Donnell, a native of the year 2119, identified 1980 as being "pre-Harold Saxon". (TV: Before the Flood)
While aboard the Mondasian colony ship, the Master found that his disguise as "Mr. Razor" was necessary when interacting with Bill Potts, noting to Missy that he was her former Prime Minister. (TV: World Enough and Time)
"O"
- Main article: O (Spyfall)
"O" was a member of the British Secret Service agency MI6. According to the Thirteenth Doctor, he was one of their best. O had previously been a champion sprinter, something which was noted in his official file. However, O was ambushed by the Spy Master before his first day and miniaturised using a Tissue Compression Eliminator. The Master kept his body in a matchbox, which he showed this to the Thirteenth Doctor to confirm his identity. (TV: Spyfall)
"Yana"
- Main article: Yana
After he meddled with the Heavenly Paradigm, completely altering the state of the Time War to one that was ultimately more favourable to the Daleks, the War Master saw Dalek Emperor take control of the Time Lords' Cruciform, which frightened him into fleeing from the war to the far end of time while using a Chamaleon Arch to make himself human. (AUDIO: The Heavenly Paradigm, TV: The Sound of Drums) Physically human, the rejuvenated Yana was found as a "naked child" on the coast of the Silver Devastation with only an "heirloom" fob watch, which he would carry throughout his life without ever thinking to open it, thanks to a perception filter.
Spending his life moving from one refugee ship to another, Yana retained the Master's brilliant intellect and became a scientist; this made him invaluable to the scraps of civilisation remaining in the universe at this late stage of its history, as scientists were in short supply. Yana became responsible for sending the remnants of humanity from their refuge on Malcassairo to Utopia. He became friends with another scientist, Chantho, who was thought to be the last of the native Malmooth race. Together, they worked on the Utopia Project to convey the surviving humans from the planet Malcassairo to Utopia. Ultimately, in the year 100,000,000,000,000, Yana met the Tenth Doctor, Jack Harkness and Martha Jones, who spoke phrases curiously familiar to him, phrases such as Time Vortex, "extermination", Time War, Daleks and regeneration. Martha made the Professor aware of a watch in his possession. Hearing voices in his mind that commanded and entreated him, he opened it and returned to his true identity. (TV: Utopia)
As a character in fiction
Time Surgeon
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- Main article: Time Surgeon
Loosely based on the Doctor's adventures, Time Surgeon was a popular comic book series in the 2010s written by Sonny Robinson, who was inspired after finding internet records of the Doctor. The eponymous Time Surgeon travelled through time in a flatpack wardrobe with Nurse Kara.
One of the stories from this series was named Day of the Deathroids, which saw the Time Surgeon and Nurse Kara face the Minister, who closely resembled the "Victor Magister" Master, and the Deathroids. (COMIC: Invasion of the Mindmorphs)
Doctor Who
- Main article: Doctor Who (N-Space)
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A character resembling Missy could be seen in the episode The Magician's Apprentice, from the ninth series of the BBC science fiction/drama series, Doctor Who. (WC: The Zygon Isolation)
Other realities
Using a paradox machine, the Saxon Master enabled the Toclafane, whom he introduced to humanity as British Prime Minister "Harold Saxon" to travel from the year 100,000,000,000,000 and conquer Earth in 2008, thus changing history. (TV: The Sound of Drums) In what was known as the Year That Never Was, the Master, residing aboard the aircraft carrier Valiant, dropped the name "Harold Saxon" as he stood as master of the surviving humans and what he termed New Time Lord Empire, with which he intended to conquer the universe. Over this year, the Master addressed humanity in broadcasts, while an immense statue was built in his image. Ultimately, one year after the invasion, the paradox machine was destroyed by Jack Harkness, causing the flow of time to reverse to just before the invasion. As a result, the population of Earth retained no memory of the Year That Never Was with the exception of those who were onboard the Valiant, the eye of the storm. (TV: Last of the Time Lords)
On Gallifrey and among Time Lords
On Gallifrey, Lord President Borusa identified the Tremas Master as "one of the most evil and corrupt beings this Time Lord race has ever produced", claiming his crimes to be "without number" and his villainy "without end". (TV: The Five Doctors)
By the end of the Last Great Time War, a prophecy spoke of two Time Lords locked in their final confrontation, having survived impending fall of Gallifrey. Rassilon, the resurrected Lord President, took these Time Lords to be the Doctor and the Master. Knowing that the War Doctor intended to destroy both Time Lords and Daleks by using the Moment, Rassilon contrived to break Gallifrey out of the time-lock that blocked the Last Great Time War from temporal manipulation, implanting a rhythm of four beats back through time into the mind of the Master as an eight year old staring into the Untempered Schism, which had drove him mad, while sending a White-Point Star to the Earth dominated by the Saxon Master on Christmas Day. As a result, Gallifrey broke free of the time lock and appeared in the skies above Earth. However, Rassilon was opposed by the Tenth Doctor, who broke the link while the Master attacked Rassilon out of vengeance once he realised that Rassilon had deliberately driven him mad and destroyed his life. The time-lock resumed and Rassilon, the Master the Time Lords, and Gallifrey itself were all flung back to the Time War. (TV: The End of Time)
Following the Time War, which ended with all of the first thirteen incarnations of the Doctor saving Gallifrey by transfering it to a parallel pocket universe, (TV: The Day of the Doctor) the Master was cured of his "condition" before being expelled from Gallifrey in what he called a "mutual kicking me out". (TV: The Doctor Falls)
In other cultures
Skaro and the Daleks
During his battles with the Third Doctor, the Master assisted the Daleks in Operation Divide and Conquer, a plot to start a war between the Earth and Draconian Empires in the 26th century. (TV: Frontier in Space)
Ultimately, the Old Master was put on trial on the planet Skaro, where he was said to have listened calmly as his list of evil crime was read and sentence passed, after which he demanded that the Doctor take his remains back to their home planet, Gallifrey. Indeed, after the Master was exterminated by the Daleks, his remains were taken by the Seventh Doctor. (TV: Doctor Who)
Having been resurrected by the Time Lords, the Master was made to fight the Daleks during the Last Great Time War. (TV: The Sound of Drums) At one time, the Master fought the Supreme Dalek on the slopes of the Never Vault. (TV: The Witch's Familiar) However, after witnessing the Dalek Emperor take control of the Cruciform, the War Master was scared to the point of fleeing the conflict and using a Chameleon Arch to make himself human. (TV: The Sound of Drums)
By the time they identified as Missy, the Master had an outstanding death warrant in the Dalek Empire. (AUDIO: The Bekdel Test)
Others
By the time they identified as Missy, the Master had an outstanding death warrant in the Cyber-Empire. They were also recognised as being responsible for the destruction of the Eighth Sontaran Battle Fleet. (AUDIO: The Bekdel Test)
According to a history of the Daleks by human historians, there existed only one painting of the Master. Entitled Portrait of Evil, it was the work of the painter Skarnn, and hung in the Church of the Evergreen Man's Oakdown Gallery on Piedosos. It depicted the Master in the black-and-grey-bearded incarnation (PROSE: The Astounding Untold History of the Greatest Enemies of the Universe) who had helped the Daleks try and pit the Draconians and the humans against each other. (TV: Frontier in Space)
Behind the scenes
- The animated version of the Patrick Troughton story The Faceless Ones featured two separate "Wanted" posters of the Master, one of the incarnation portrayed by Roger Delgado a few years later and the other of the incarnation portrayed by Sacha Dhawan several decades later.
